Water heater



E. ESSON WATER HEATER June 6, 1944.

Filed Sept. 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m G E i V mh .m MM m. Mm

ATTO FY, N E Y June 6, 1944. E EssoN 2,350,597

WATER HEATER Filed sept. 2. 1941 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1944 2.350.591 wa'raa rrr-:ATER

Edwin Eason, Kansas City, Mo.. assignor to Lock Stove Company. Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application September 2, 1941, Serial No. 409,158

6 Claims.

This invention relates to solid fuel burning heaters, particularly designed for heating water or similar liquids. and has for its principal object to provide a heater of this character which is capable of operating over a long period of time with a single stoking and which requires little attention. thereby giving advantages of heaters using the more expensive types of iuel, such as gas.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a heater of this character with aprelatively large fuel magazine from which the fuel is automatically fed to the burning chamber; to provide for passage of the products of combustion and air supply for effecting substantially complete combustion at a relatively slow burning rate; to provide a simple. compact structure that is readily manufactured and assembled; to provide a heater structure which avoids clogging of the iiues and passageways by the fuel inserted in the magazine; to provide a heater of substantially square or rectangular design with a preferably cylindrical fuel magazine and utilizing the corner spaces for iiues thereby giving efliciently and evenly distributed radiant heat; to provide for admission of secondary air in preheating relation with the flue outlets; and to provide for introducing the secondary air into the products of combustion being discharged from the upper end of the flue outlets.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred formo! which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a heater constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of the heater, particularly illustrating the' draft control and showing the upper portion of the heater in section.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the grate basket.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section through the lower portion of the heater on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

i designates a heater constructed in accordance with the present invention and which includes a substantially rectangular shell or jacket 2 preferably formed of sheet metal and having side walls 3-4 and front and rear walls 5-6 connected at the corners in preferably roundingcurves as shown at 'I in Figs. 2 and 3. The lower portions of the walls are shaped to provide corner legs 3 for supporting the bottom 3 of the heater above the floor and provide for air circulation thereunder. the bottom 9 being inset upwardly within the jacket as best shown in Figs. 1 and 6. The upper end of .the jacket is closed by a substantially dome-shaped top Ill, having a perimetrical iiange Il seated over the upper edge of the jacket. The rear portion of the top has a flue outlet collar i2 which is adapted to be connected by a vent pipe I3 with a chimney (not shown). The front of the top is provided with an inset door opening i4 that extends over the fuel magazine and is closed by a door i5 suitably hinged as at Ii and adapted to be manipulated by means of a knob i1.

Formed in the lower portion of the front of the jacket and above the bottom 3 is an ash-pit and draft opening I8. suitably framed as at i! and adapted to be closed by a door 20 hinged as at 2i to the upper portion of the frame so that the weight of the door normally retains it in closed position. Inset within the jacket, substantially in alignment with the upper portion of the ashpit door, is a grate basket 22 which supports the fuel in the magazine and provides for admission of combustion supporting air as well as connections with corner updraft flues, later described. The grate basket includes a plate portion 23 substantially conforming to the crosssectional shape of the jacket and has depending anges 246 on the sides thereof which are attached to the Jacket in a manner as to rmiy support the basket. The corner portions of the plate are preferably provided with substantially angular-shaped notches 25 to form inlets from the ash-pit 26 for passage of secondary air.

Depending from the center of the plate portion 23 is a fire-pot 21 terminating at its lower edge in depending fingers 23 having inturned ends 29 for supporting a grate 30, the grate 30 being provided with openings 3l through which ashes are discharged intb the ash-pit and primary airis drawn through the fire in cooperation v supporting a heatingring Il through which the plate portions 35 and 4l to forma circulating space v4i which is connected with a source-of water supply through a pipe 42 extending through the rear wallof the Jacket and the heated water is discharged through a similar pipe 43, having a thermostat 44 connected therein. The inner diameter of the ring 35 substantially conforms to 'accuser a plate 5l adapted to seaton the front and rear the diameter of the nre-pot 2l and the outer wail pipe I2.

' The ring seats directly upon the plate portion 2l, which immediately encircles the nre-pot 21, andthe .inner wall thereof provides the lower portion of a fuel magazine, while the outer wall is in direct contact'with the hot products of combustionwhich have Vpassed downwardly through the fuel bed, out through the openings I4, elbowshaped duct 25, and corner openings 33 and into the space 45. y j

Seated upon the ring. and forming an upper continuation of the magazine are diametrically spaced refractory tiles 45,-,41 and 48-48.` The tiles have substantially fiat, rear faces 50, closely engaging the inner surfaces of the jacket walls and of a width to extend across the space between the adjacent., terminal lends of the L-shaped openings or notches 25, previously described. The side edges 5I )of the tiles form abutments for substantially angle-shaped portions 52 which seat upon that portion of the plate 23y between the angle-shaped openings 25 and the openings 33, as best shown in Fig. 5, so that the leg portions 53 and 54 thereof cooperate with the adjacent portion of the jacket to provide updraft passageways 55 for carrying the secondary air from the ash-pit tothe upper portion of the heater, for a purpose later described. VThe edges of the partitions are preferably provided with flanges 55 of sumcient width to'space the leg portions of the partitions from the jacket as shown in Fig. 2, and to formy side supports for the refractory tiles. .Fromv the side edges 5|,the tiles have inwardly ,converging faces 51 'and 58 terminating in outer portions converging at a lesser'angle to provide substantially V-shaped grooves V59 forming guides to rete-in intermediate tiles 80, 5|, 52

and 63. The intermediate tiles have substantiallyat, rear faces 54 spaced from and cooperating with the leg portions of. the partition members .to form vertical yfiues 55 of substantially triangular cross-section andv which form upper continuations ofthe elbow-shaped vducts 35,l previously described. "Ihe'inner facesf of all the tiles lare arcuate in c'ross-section-sothat the magazine is substantially cylindrical as best lshown in FlgsQl and-'45. Inordervtov reduce the length of -thejjtilea they maybe xformedjin upper .and

lower courses and 55,' 'as shofwnin'Fig. l.

"lit will be notedthat the ilues and secondari n tothe chimney.v 'In order to mix the flue gases wvwiththesecondary air, the top of the tiles carry` tiles to protect them from contact with the fuel as it is being admittedinto the magazine and to support vertically arranged bailles Il and Ii extending transversely at the sides o! the magazine as shown in Fig. 4. The bellies 'Il are provided with lvertically arranged slots l2 through which the flue gases and secondary air are discharged across thetop of the magazine. The

vbai'iies ll and 'Il also provide guards to prevent clogging of the iiues and air ducts by the fuel in case the magazine should be overcharged.

In order to control automatically the intensity of the re and provide the proper amount of primary and secondary air to the ash-pit in accordance with the temperature of the water, the thermostat includes a lever 13 which is connected by a chain 14 with the arm 'l5 of a rocker shaft 15, the rocker shaft 16 being suitably journalled in lug-like supporting brackets l1 fixed to the rear wall of the jacket as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive. V'I'he opposite end of the rock-shaft has a depending arm 'I8 which is pivotally connected, as at 19. with a link B0 extending transversely under the space of the Jacket and which terminates in an upwardly extending arm li at the front of the heater as shown in Fig. l. The end of the arm is provided with an adjusting screw `82- having the head 83 thereof in engagement with a 4depending flange on the door 20,

the connections'being such that when the temi perature of the Water drops below the temperature set by the thermostat, a weight 84 on the arm 'l5 swings the rock-shaft in a counter-clockwise direction (Fig. 1) to shift the link 80 and cause opening of the door 20 to supply additional draft to the heater to increase intensity of the fire and more rapidly raise the temperature of the water in the ring to the point set by the thermostat. When this temperature is reached, the thermostat lifts the weight, rocking the shaft in the opposite direction, and permits closing movement of the door for reducing the amount of air admitted and slowing` down the burning rate of the fuel.

The refractory tiles are readily assembled in the Jacket prior to application of the top Il. 'Ihe tiles 46 to 49 inclusive are first applied with the sides' 5I thereof engaging the flanges 55 of -held open to admit combustion supporting air into the ash-pit chamber and through the grate openings- 3| and 32 for supporting' combustion of the fuel within the nre-pot, the products of combustion passing out through the openings 34,

' velbow ducts 55, openings 33, and into the space 45 surrounding the heating ring le to heat the walls thereof and raise the temperature of the water circulating in the` water space 4i of the ring. A From the flue space the products of combustion travel upwardly through the triangular shaped nues 85 and into the spacesfat the outer l.sides of the bailes 'l0 and 1i where they mix with secondary air which is admitted from the ashpit through the L-shaped openings 25 and vertical ducts or updraft passageways 55. Upon movement of the air through the updraft passageways it is preheated by contact with the leg vportions of the partitions which, in turn, have smoke and unconsumed gas are ignited and consumed before passage through the vent I3. During burning of the fire, the fuel above the firepot becomes coked and any gases distilling therefrom which may rise within the magazine are contacted with the hot products of combustion moving through the slots 12. As the fire burns, ashes drop into the ashpit and coked fuel moves into the lire-pot followed by fresh fuel which moves into -the coking space. When the water in the heating ring reaches a predetermined temperature as set by the thermostat, the thermostat will close the damper to hold the fire and maintain temperature of the water. When the temperature drops below the point of the thermostat, the damper will reopen so that the proper amount of draft is maintained responsive to temperature of the water.

It will be apparent that because of the relatively large capacity of the magazine and automatic control of the burning rate responsive to temperature of the water, the heater will operate efficiently over long periods with little attention and with a single stoking of the magazine. The square or rectangular structure with the cylindrical magazine readily adapts the corner flue arrangement which provides eilicient controlled burning of the fuel and provides for modern exterior appearance of the heater.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

l. A heater of the character described including, a substantially rectangular jacket, a grate basket supported in the jacket including a substantially rectangular plate portion supporting a repot, L-shaped ducts having connection with the fire-pot and opening through the plate portion within the corners of said jacket, a ring supported above the grate basket and spaced from the jacket to form a flue space therearound in connection with said L-shaped ducts, a refractory liner supported on said ring and forming vertical flue ducts in connection with said space, secondary air supply ducts located in heat exchange relation with the flue ducts and discharging at the upper ends of said last named flue ducts, bailles supported above the refractory liner on the respective sides of the fuel magazine, and a flue outlet for the heater having connection between said ballles, said bailies having openings for passing products of combustion from said flue ducts to said flue outlet across the top f the magazine.

2. A heater of the character described including, a substantially rectangular jacket, a grate basket supported in the jacket including a substantially rectangular plate portion supporting a fire-pot, L-shaped ducts having connection with the fire-pot and opening through the plate portion within the corners of said jacket. a ring supported above the grate basket and spaced from the jacket to form a flue space therearound in connection with said L-shaped ducts, a refractory liner supported on said ring and forming vertical flue ducts in connection with said space, secondary air supply ducts located in heat exchange relation with the nue ducts and discharging at the upper ends of said last named ilue ducts, bales supported above the refractory liner on the respective sides of the fuel magazine, a flue outlet for the heater having connection between said baiiles, said baffles having openings for passing products of combustion from said iiue ducts to said flue outlet across the top of the magazine, and a door located between said baiiies for inserting a solid fuel into the magazine.

3. A heater of the character described including, a rectangular jacket, a grate basket supported in the jacket having a. horizontal plate portion supporting a nre-pot, L-shaped ducts having connection with the fire-pot and opening through corners of said plate portion, said plate portion having angle-shaped openings in the corners thereof in spaced relation with said L-shap'ed ducts, angle-shaped partitions supported in the corners of said jacket and cooperating therewith to form secondary air passageways, and a refractory liner in said jacket cooperating with said partitions to form vertical flue ducts in conn'ection with said L-shaped ducts, said liner forming a fuel magazine above the grate basket and said ducts having interconnection at the top of said magazine.

4. A heater of the character described including, a jacket, a grate basket supported within the jacket, a water chamber supported within the jacket above the grate basket and having spaced inner and outer side walls extending about the top of the basket to provide a circulating space for water to be heated, said outer wall being spaced inwardly from the jacket to form a flue space for passage of hot products of combustion, ue ducts opening from the grate basket and having connection with the flue space, a refractory liner supported above the grate basket, a fuel magazine in said jacket having a lower portion formed by the inner wall of the water chamber and an upper portion by said refractory liner, portions of said refractory liner being formed to provide vertical flue ducts having lower ends connected with the flue space, and a flue outlet connected with the upper ends of the ue ducts.

5. A heater of the character described including, a jacket, a grate basket supported within the jacket, a water chamber supported within the jacket above the grate basket and having spaced inner and outer side walls extending about the top of the basket to provide a circulating space for water to be heated, said outer wall being spaced inwardly from the jacket to form a flue space for passage of hot products'of combustion, flue ducts opening from the grate basket and having connection with the flue space, a refractory liner supported above the grate basket, a fuel magazine in said jacket having a lower portion formed by the inner wall of the Water chamber and an upper portion by said refractory liner, portions of said refractory liner being formed to provide vertical flue ducts having lower ends connected with the flue space, a ue outlet connected with the upper ends of the ue ducts, and secondary air supply ducts by-passing the grate basket and having connection with the upper ends of the last named ducts for supplying combustion supporting air to the products of combustion discharged through said last named ducts to the flue connection.

6. A heater of the character described including, a jacket, a grate basket having a fire pot supported in said jacket, a ring type water jacket supported above the grate basket, flue ducts opengrate basket and having a. lower portion formedv by the water jacket and an upper portion by the refractory liner, vertical nue ducts formed by nection with the flue ducts, and

supply ducts by-pessing the grate basket in heat portions of said refractory liner and hving exchange relation with said flue ducts for supp1ying secondary combustion' supporting air to the upper ends of the last named duct.

A EDWIN ILSSON.k 

